Population

It appears that the population of our planet is forever getting larger and that this alone means that with so much human activity the world is experiencing more environmental destruction.
Before we begin, please go to the following website and test your ecological footprint. http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/education/ecologic/bigfoot/mid/
Film A World in Balance
Notes for this section of the unit (population):

Weighing the Political Considerations
Read the handout "Exploring the Rainforest". Use pages and create a graphic organizer, i.e. a retrieval chart stating cause and effect for issues mentioned in the reading. After that prepare answers in your groups for the following questions.

Upload your group's responses here:
Exploring the Rainforest group responses

The Environment & Economic Development
Al Gore may be right. He has great support of many scientists. But Gore's video's premise is that it is the CO2 in the atmosphere that is driving temperatures. That may not be correct. Please take the time to watch http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4860344067427439443 (Some class time to watch this is okay, but do watch this on your own).
Keep in mind that this is just one other perspective on an issue that may not be resolved...just yet.
Your Major Assignment for this unit (Graded as a test grade followed by a test on all information)
One your own choose an alternative energy resource, a recycling program, a city compost program or even building materials and design that have as their focus the decrease in energy use and a reduction of CO2 output. Be sure to cover the following:
  1. What is the science behind the program or alternative program. For alternative energy sources, i.e. solar voltaic power this is easy; but for recycling programs this might mean your having to show that less energy, or fewer resources are used in recycling a certain item, i.e. glass. Be sure to provide diagrams and other pertinent graphic information.
  2. Provide two examples: one must be regional (preferably Korean), the other outside of this region (i.e. North America, Europe, South America, Middle East, and the South Pacific). Detail these. Providing photographic information, maps, and other graphic information.
  3. Provide a critique of the program that you have looked at. What are the positives? What are the negatives? What is needed for it to be employed? What prevents/supports its employment in Korea?
  4. You must have a minimum of five sources for this. Consider interviews as well.
  5. You will be given two full classes during which you are expected to research.
Your final product is a visual representation that is to be uploaded on to this Wiki. Your grade will be determined by several factors: Completeness of information, use of visual materials, clarity of communication, and technical aspects of work. By the end of today's class you must give me your topic of research.

Alternative Futures Uploads